The new black

Beauty is only worth bothering with if you do it properly. It's far better to wear no make-up than to apply it badly. Dark eyes, a trend that has been big for a good few seasons, are a perfect example. There is a big difference between "rock chick who's just got out of bed" and "just come back from crying in the ladies' toilet".

The key to this difference is mascara: heavy and dramatic, yes; lumpy and stuck together, no thank you. This is where eyelash combs are supposed to come in handy. But, frankly, who can be bothered with such a ridiculous contraption? The very act of using one is to admit to yourself that, contrary to a promising medical start spent obsessing about the anatomy of Barbie, you aren't in fact spending your life saving sick babies, and nor are you on course for a Nobel prize. It's pretty hard to comb your eyelashes without wondering if there aren't better things you could be doing with your time, such as learning to paint with your left foot.

The recent appearance of comb, as opposed to wand (brush-like), mascaras is, then, a blessing. Rimmel, Astor and Paul & Joe are among those who have launched mascaras with tiny, flat-toothed combs in place of a brush, their teeth separating and defining individual lashes, thereby putting an end to the need for brushing between coats - the results are noticeably longer, sleeker-looking lashes.

At least, that's the theory. In reality, the effect is similar to that of clear mascara: elegant and spidery lashes, especially if your hair is black or brown (no one seems to have launched other colours yet).

And that's part of the problem. Comb mascaras are great for those with perfect lashes, but if you're the kind of person who agonises over whether you want thickening, curling or lengthening (yes, that's right, agonise), then comb mascara ain't gonna do it for you - it's just too subtle.

On the plus side, these new mascaras have made me realise just how sexy big thick lashes really are, and the odd clump or moment of chronic self-doubt is a small price to pay.